Concrete Signs of an Abstract Idea: Vehicle Intelligence May Peek Into the Future of Invalidity

February 2016

The patent world continues to struggle mightily with articulating the core
“idea” of a patent and whether it is too “abstract,” in the wake of Alice. But
the Federal Circuit’s recent nonprecedential decision in Vehicle Intelligence
may offer some relief and guidance.

In determining whether a patent claims an “abstract idea,” the Federal
Circuit will apparently check whether the patentee provides sufficient
“details” for the claimed solution, and whether these details improve the
technological functioning of the solution or just improperly broaden its
scope.